Heat
by Link-luvr
Summary: Pre-game. Alone and freezing, Yuan awaits rescue from his closest friend. Now Kratos has to find a way to save his life. Kruan. One-shot. Rated M for safety.


A.N: Just another Kruan one-shot, giving a sort of vague background on how they met (or rather, how I think they met). Based in the sort of 4000 years pre-game...

Hope it's ok.

Enjoy!

* * *

Heat

Kratos stared glumly out of the bay windows of the dining room of the Aurion mansion, looking straight past his sister's head to the scene outside.

Snow fell in great, driving sheets, blown by a wind of hurricane like intensity, and he could only feel a desperate sense of urgency to get outside and aid the poor creature he knew was huddled at the lakeside.

Of course...he couldn't, not until his father had finished lecturing him and his siblings, giving some god awful sermon about how slaves in the household were to behave and be treated, and how the family was supposed to uphold these roles.

Kratos shot a dark look to his father, brushing a lock of dark auburn hair from his face and tucking it behind his ear.

"And yes, Kratos, my boy, this is all because of you."

"I know," Kratos huffed, glancing out of the window again "and I know how to treat the half-elves. They're inferior, they're slaves not companions, animals not people. I know the sermon, father." The words left a bitter taste on his tongue, even as he spoke them.

"And yet you don't adhere to these rules. Why not?"

"Because it's not fair," the youngest Aurion hissed "Why should I treat Yuan any differently than I would a human? What makes his life worth less than ours?"

"His elven blood." Cronos answered coldly, glaring at his twenty year old son.

Kratos growled, pushing himself from his chair, turning his back on his father, heading for the double doors that lead into the main hall.

"Come back here, boy!"

He kept walking, gaze fixed straight ahead until a heavy hand descended upon his shoulder, slamming him down onto the dining table. The youngest two of his sisters gasped, the twins watching their little brother being pinned to the table by their enraged father. Kratos glared up at him.

Training to be a knight as the younger man may have been, strong as he may be, he couldn't strike his own father. The older man seemed to realise it and, giving Kratos a hard shove against table, released him.

"None of the world shares your view my son, you should remember that. You and your little freak of a friend...go to him, if you must, do what you need to save him. I spent good money on that miserable creature, I won't have it die after just twelve years of service."

Snarling, Kratos turned, dashing from the dining room and through the hall, bursting through the main doors into the grounds outside, not bothering to pull any outer clothing on.

Running as fast he could, he ploughed through thick snow, making his way to the blue haired speck by the lake.

Yuan had been a part of Kratos' life as long as the young noble could remember. Bought as a slave from an auction when they were both just six years old, Yuan had spent every day since at Kratos' side, acting as a servant...but becoming Kratos' only true friend.

The life of aristocracy was something Kratos hated. It was restrictive and he longed for the day when he could make his own way in the world...along with his friend. His brother and sisters didn't share his views, as much as they may care for him, and he was left fighting an uphill battle to get them to accept his friendship with Yuan.

The only person in the family who gave him any leeway was his own mother, currently away on business. If she had been here, this never would have happened.

Yuan had merely been playing. Two days ago, the half-elf had been trying to get Kratos to ice-skate with him on the frozen lake. Kratos had refused, but had watched as his friend had slid elegantly over the surface, whiling away the hours. After some time one of Kratos' older sisters, Nike, had come to stand beside him watching Yuan skim over the lake and began to shout abuse at him, as was her custom.

Yuan had heard, all too clearly, despite Kratos' scolding of her. In all honesty, he was completely used to this treatment from people and, for the most part, ignored it. But every now and again, it simply became too much to handle and he had to retaliate. So he had skated over to the two Aurions, skidding to a stop on the ice and shearing off the surface, spraying it over the female. She had, needless to say, immediately fled back to the mansion, informing their father of what the slave had done.

With Kratos unwilling to punish his 'slave' as was stated that he should do, his father had done it for him...banning Yuan from the house for as long as it took the half-elf to regret his decision. Typically, this wouldn't be too much of a problem. Yuan was surprisingly hardy, despite his almost fragile appearance, but now it was winter, and it was one of the worst winter's they had seen for a long time.

By the time night had fallen that evening, Yuan had already regretted it and yet Cronos refused to let him in the house still, claiming that Yuan had not quite learned his lesson.

As the next two days had passed, the weather had worsened into the worst winter had to offer and no amount of hot drinks that Kratos had managed to smuggle out to his friend would sustain him in such conditions.

God, if Yuan had just apologised, or kept quiet he wouldn't be in this state. But then...he also wouldn't be Yuan if he had done that. His tenacity and strength was what Kratos admired in his friend.

He was nearly blinded by snow now as he ran to his friend, skidding down the bank towards him...only to find him collapsed by the lake, half buried in snow. Panicking, the human dug him out with his bare hands, pulling him when he was free enough to do so.

The half-elf's breathing was laboured...rasping, his breaths shallow. His skin held barely more colour than the snow around them, his lips tinted with blue, extremities taking on a purple hue as he entire body trembled fiercely, muscles desperately trying to stave off the cold. If he remained out here any longer, he would be beyond help.

Sliding a hand beneath his shoulders and the other beneath his knees, Kratos hefted the prone form. A thin groan escaped the blue haired boy's lips as he was lifted into warm arms, one side of his body pressed against the hard warm front of another and he shifted, trying to get closer to the wonderful warmth. Kratos set off back to the house immediately, making his way through the snow awkwardly with his friend in his arms. It was lucky that the other was of such slender build, or else he may well not have been able to carry him.

By the time he had made his way back to the house, the tracks he had made on his way out to fetch Yuan were already filled with fresh snow, and Kratos was grateful just be in the warm entrance hall of the house.

Yuan seemed to notice the change in temperature too, for he let out another thin groan as Kratos kicked the door shut behind him, and he relaxed into the other man's arms a little. It was quite apparent that Yuan didn't understand what was going on but as Kratos dashed up the stairs, leaving piles of melting snow on the carpet as he went, he figured any sign of conciousness, however vague was a good sign.

He let his eyes fall to his friend's face, eyes tracing up to the slightly pointed tips of otherwise rounded ears, finding that they too were tinged with blue.

Turning left at the top of the grand staircase he headed down a series of long winding corridors, before ascending another set of steps. Why the house had to be so large, and have so many rooms, Kratos would never understand.

The servant and slave quarters were downstairs to the back of the house, along with the kitchens. And then there was a dining room, the entrance hall and the ball room on the rest of the ground floor.

The entire first level of the house was composed of random, mostly empty rooms, a few studies and offices here and there. The top floor was reserved for the family...and numerous though the Aurions were, with the parents, their ten children and then some of the children's partners and families...there needn't be two wings for them.

Growling as he rounded another corridor, Kratos hurried down it, finally coming to his own bedroom door and pushing inside, glad that he had, for once, left it unlocked and that the handle was so worn. It made it easier for him to operate it with his elbow.

The room was dimly lit. A roaring fire flickered in the fireplace opposite his bed, staving off the cold for when the room's occupant retired for the night.

Laying Yuan on the bed, he shut the door behind him and lit some of the lanterns in the room, illuminating the deep colours of the room before turning to the man lying on the bed shivering.

Sighing, he wandered over to him, slipping off his wet shoes as he did to look down at him. His clothes and hair were wet with melted snow, and he supposed the first thing that would need doing would be to get him out of them.

He hesitated. He was not sure what Yuan's reaction would be to him doing such a thing when he awoke...and though the two had seen each other nude before, it had been some years since the last time. They were not children anymore...but he supposed it could not be helped if he wanted him to live.

Stepping over to him, he quickly slipped the wet boots from Yuan's feet, pulling the socks off as he did. Like his fingers, his toes were tinged purple with the cold and it made Kratos speed up. He didn't want his hesitations to cost Yuan a finger or toe via frostbite.

With the footwear off, he turned his attention to the rest of Yuan's clothing, pulling off the thin coat he was wearing, tossing the garment aside before following suit with the white, loose shirt he wore, making his way down to his black breeches.

He hesitated again as he came to the black underwear that Yuan was wearing, wondering briefly if he really needed to remove it. Sitting next to him on the bed he reached out slowly, fingertips tracing the hem and waistband, finding the garment completely soaked. It was no use, those would have to come off too. Slowly, embarrassed at what he was about to do, Kratos hooked his fingers beneath the waistband, pulling the underclothing down Yuan's long, slender legs, averting his gaze from what had been revealed.

With the shivering half-elf lying on the bed he dashed into his adjacent bathroom, quickly grabbing a towel before returning, using it to dry off the damp body and soaking hair.

Kratos frowned, sitting beside his friend, throwing the towel to the side and letting his eyes roam the body next to him...in a purely medical fashion of course.

The unfortunate side effect of this was that his eyes were forced to take in the details of Yuan's naked form. The way his neck curved softly into broad, strong shoulders, down a well muscled arm to an almost delicate hand. Yuan's fingers were long and slender, just as every other part of him seemed to be. His chest was broad, muscles well defined above a toned stomach, the lines of his abdomen drawing his gaze further to the sharp v of groin muscles down to...

Kratos pulled his eyes away shaking his head and opting to put Yuan to bed. Leaning over him he pulled back the covers to his bed, finding a warming pan beneath the quilted sheets.

Standing, he manoeuvred Yuan into his arms again, trying not to think about the way such a slender body was pressed against his, begging for warmth...warmth that Kratos could give all too easily. Setting him down, he pulled the covers over his friend, leaving him to rest as he gathered the scattered clothing from about the room and left it above the fire to dry.

With Yuan safely tucked into bed, Kratos slumped into an armchair across the room, watching the other sleep as the lamps flickered lazily. Finding the light uncomfortable to his eyes, he pulled himself from the chair, blowing out the lamps, so that only the fire lit the room with a warm glow. He immediately went over to it, staring into its flickering depths before realising that his own clothing was wet. He quickly pulled it off and discarded it...before turning to the bed and realising that Yuan was already in it.

Bouncing on his toes a little, he looked at the sleeping figure, then down to himself. He, at least, still had some clothing on...and his bed was rather large. They could both fit in it comfortably without touching one another...and there was nothing wrong with two male friends sleeping beside one another just this once...as adults.

Padding over to the bed, Kratos slipped beneath the covers, gently rolling Yuan so that he was on the other side of the bed, making room for Kratos.

The aristocrat lay uncomfortably beneath the covers, all too aware of the body across the other side of the bed.

Kratos would not consider himself one of those odd men who preferred the company of his own sex...or at least not solely. He was perfectly aware of the soft, curvaceous beauty of a woman's body...and he would not deny that Princess Soleille, whom he had visited with his mother upon 'business' was a rather striking specimen of a woman. But he was also aware that he was enticed by the thought of the strength that the male body could offer. The harsh lines, the muscle and sinew, the hard angles, the firmer touch...the chance of a true battle for dominance.

He had had such thoughts from a distinctly younger age, he knew. When he was just fourteen he had developed something of an interest in his sword teacher...the way the supple lines of his body twisted as he moved, the way the muscle flexed and shifted beneath the surface of his skin.

At the time, he had merely passed it off as typical teenage hormones, that could make you lust after a piece of fruit or vegetable, as long as it had a vaguely sexual shape. But now...now he couldn't deny it, or pass it off as hormones. He was far too old to be trapped within puberty still.

He rolled over, looking as Yuan in the flickering fire light. He was an unusual looking person to be sure.

His pale skin off-set by electric blue hair, the colour contrasted by the shocking deep green of his eyes. His face was long, his jawline firm and tight. His eyes were exotic, almost almond shaped, framed by long, almost feminine dark blue lashes. His nose was long, trailing down to well formed, pink lips that curled enticingly whenever he smiled.

Kratos shifted. His examination of Yuan's rather stunning beauty was doing nothing to help him...and yet he wanted to continue. He refrained, knowing he needed warmth and could not afford to have the insulating blankets and duvet pulled away.

So instead, he closed his eyes, thinking about the body that he had undressed, the subtle curves and obvious angles of his figure, the dips and peaks of his musculature and bone, the way every part of his body was perfectly proportional and so exquisitely carved from bone, muscle and skin.

The Gods couldn't have created a more attractive specimen if they tried. And to think, Yuan, as a half-elf was considered a freak of nature.

Kratos personally thought it would be criminal for a human to be born with those looks...such beauty on a human would be wasted. To wait eighteen years for a rose to blossom, only for it to fall from its prime after a decade.

Yuan would last a millennia, and though he would eventually age, at least he could keep the stunning looks he held for a decent amount of time, instead of living life like a butterfly as humans did. Something spending years as an ugly creature, before having a brief flash of beauty before dying.

Yuan shifted in the bed, curled onto his side to face Kratos, his body curling into a foetal position. Kratos reached an arm out, letting it rest against Yuan's visible forehead. His eyes widened.

It seemed that not only had Yuan not warmed up, he had in fact cooled further.

Pulling himself out of the bed, he grabbed one of the blankets that was flung over a chair and returning to the bed, shifting over to Yuan. He didn't think twice about pulling him into his arms, pressing the freezing chest against his own warm body, entwining their legs so that as much of his own body touched Yuan's.

With one arm sliding under Yuan's back, he pulled the blanket over them, tucking it firmly around his companion where their bodies didn't meet before draping the excess over himself.

He shuddered at the feeling of Yuan's body pressed firmly against his...and he was sure that it wasn't just the cold of Yuan's skin that was doing it.

Sighing, Kratos let his eyes drift shut, trying to block out the icy chill against him, arms still wrapped firmly about his friend.

--

Jerky movements woke him, snapping him out of a pleasant sleep, and Kratos opened his eyes blearily. The room was dark, the fire just dim glowing embers in the hearth now, and he had to reach over the bed to strike a match and light a lantern in order to see just what was going on.

Task complete, he rolled back over to see what the problem was...finding a trembling Yuan sitting up in the bed, staring at him with wide eyes, entangled in the blanket Kratos had wrapped him in.

Through his sleep-hazed mind, Kratos supposed that this was quite a worrying situation for Yuan...waking up in bed with your best friend, naked, cold and with a distinct sense of disorientation.

"Wh...what...d-did we d-d-do?" Yuan managed to stutter out through trembling lips, rubbing his hands against bare arms. Kratos was pleased to note that the tips of those fingers were no longer purple, and that the blue tint had faded from his lips.

"Nothing, calm down," Kratos shifted back, pulling the sheets away to show Yuan that his lower body was still clothed. "You were almost frozen by the time I got out to you, and this was the only way I could think of warming you up...short of throwing you into the fire, at least."

Yuan offered him a shaky smile, nodding as he did before a cold shudder ran through him. Kratos watched him quietly. He had seemed somewhat...disappointed that nothing had happened. But, no. That must just be Kratos' wishful imagination.

Another shudder ran through the half-elf a second later, and Kratos tutted. "Get back under the covers, Yuan. You need to stay warm," he slid towards the edge of the bed. "I'll take the sofa."

"Wh..what? No...it's your bed. Besides, you'll freeze if you take that."

"So will you."

"Well...i..it's not like the bed's not big enough for both of us...not that I care whether you wanna take the bed or sofa or anything."

Kratos suppressed a snort of laughter at Yuan's not-so-convincing attempt to be blasé. He was always so bad at covering up his feelings.

"Fine. If you don't have a problem with it, I'll just take the other side of the bed."

"Sure, whatever." Yuan shrugged again, and it sent yet another cold shiver through his body. He quickly flung himself down on the bed, burying himself in blankets.

Kratos sighed silently, resting back on the pillows on his side of the bed and closing his eyes again. With Yuan's somewhat flippant nature back, he was less concerned about his physical state...or at least, he was until he heard the chattering of Yuan's teeth and the saw the blankets trembling.

"Yuan..."

No response.

"Yuan..."

"He's sleeping." The half-elf murmured, shifting under the blankets.

Kratos rolled his eyes, sliding underneath the sheets and slowly running his hand across to Yuan. The half-elf jumped noticeably when he felt Kratos' warm fingers brush his upper arm.

"What?"

"You're still freezing..."

"Oh, you think?"

"Yuan...please. Just shift over here."

"Hn. For what, to cuddle into your arms?"

"Yes. Now do it, or I'll move over there."

"Try it." Yuan warned.

Grinning at the playful undertone in Yuan's voice, he pushed himself over to the half-elf, grabbing his wrists and pulling him into his arms. He was surprised to find there was little resistance, and Yuan fit into his arms neatly.

"Was that it?"

"Too tired to fight. Too cold to...and you're warm."

Kratos stayed quiet...and it was because of that he caught Yuan's faint words. "...It's nice."

"What?"

"Hmm? Didn't say anything."

"You just said 'it's nice'".

"Didn't."

Kratos sat up abruptly, Yuan still on his chest and he groaned as the blanket fell away. He quickly reached around Yuan, pulling it back around him...and then stared directly at him.

Yuan shifted uncomfortably at their position, a light blush starting to spread across his cheeks as he realised he was straddling Kratos. It only increased in intensity when Kratos pushed his lips against his.

It was only after a moment that Yuan pulled back, slightly breathless with shock.

"W...what was that?"

"That was what I believe they call a kiss."

"Thanks smart..."

"Now, now." Kratos hushed his friend, placing a hand over his mouth.

"So...so what was it _for_?"

Kratos shrugged, seeming oddly uncertain for once. "Uh...to...help keep you warm?" Kratos tried hopefully, relaxing when Yuan's face broke into a grin.

"Well...if you want to keep me warm in that manner...you're going to have to do a lot more than just one kiss."

Kratos lifted a sly eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Mmhmm."

"Care to give me an example."

Yuan seemed to hesitate for a moment, glancing around the room nervously before shifting forwards, pressing his lips tentatively against the other young man's.

Kratos pulled Yuan against him firmly the second their lips touched, crushing the shivering form into his own warm flesh, feeling himself heat up against his friend. He was vaguely aware of hands winding their way up back, one settling for hooking over his shoulder, the other grasping the hair at the base of his neck. The cold body, taking on a warmer temperature by borrowing his own heat, was pressing against his of its own accord. Kratos could practically _feel _the hesitancy drain from Yuan as they sank down beneath the warm cocoon of satin and velour bed sheets.

It was all Yuan was aware of, the gentle warmth of the sheets around them, the vigorous rising heat of the firm, smooth body beneath him. The body whose lips he was kissing, whose shoulders he was tracing his hands over. The warmth of firm muscle and skin beneath his own cold, trembling fingertips felt like nothing less than absolute, searing, purifying flames.

He knew, the second that he had started touching his friend like this, that the ultimate sin had been committed, that he was condemned to hell. Let it happen. At the moment, he found himself unable to care less.

Kratos was running hot, reassuring hands along his back in long, slow strokes, feeling the curves of bone beneath his skin, and Yuan was surprised to find himself to be a fan of this slow petting. It was working the heat up slowly in his body, conjuring it in pleasurable bursts.

And then Kratos flipped them, pinning the warming body between the mattress and his own heat.

Yuan panted a little at the sudden movement, looking up at the human who was pinning him down. His eyes were shadowed by his dark auburn hair, giving him an underhanded, rebellious look. Yuan couldn't think of a word that described Kratos better. He was always ready to question what he thought was wrong, or fight back against it. It was a trait that few humans had and it was one of the many reasons why he liked him.

But...now was not the time for analysing why he liked his friend. Not with the steady burn that was rising in his loins frying his mind.

Kratos was lowering his hot body onto him, warming his flesh and it stoked the other fires in his body. Wrapping arms about his neck again, he quickly fastened his lips to Kratos', pressing upwards against him firmly. He didn't care if this was his and Kratos' first time, he wanted heat, and he wanted it now.

He arched, rubbing his body against Kratos' firmly, feeling the friction build heat between their forms, feeling Kratos' lips suddenly latch onto the base of his neck and suck firmly. His hands were tracing down his sides firmly, making their way lower to grasp at his hips and Yuan lifted into them.

"Kratos..." he gasped, feeling hands ghost over him. They halted instantly at the sound of his name.

"Yuan? Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?"

Yuan swatted at Kratos head, catching him on the side of his skull, a tad more harshly than was intended.

"Sheesh," Kratos lifted a hand to his head, pushing away from Yuan. "All you had to do was say you wanted me to stop."

The half-elf bolted upright immediately, grabbing Kratos by the shoulders and dragging him down atop him again.

"You idiot. I don't want you to stop, I want you to hurry up."

Kratos lifted an eyebrow before leaning in, kissing tentatively at Yuan's lips, only to have two hands clasp the back of his head and press his lips against the other more firmly. A second later, a tongue was pushing against them, demanding entrance.

He opened his mouth eagerly, letting the slick muscle slide into the heat of his mouth, duelling with his own in a battle for dominance. Hands stroked and gripped at flesh as bodies rubbed and hips ground together frantically. Time seemed to lose all relevance. Either it blurred by at a sickening pace, or ground to a stop completely.

Neither of them cared which, so long as it meant they needn't stop their actions and end the burning heat that had built inside their bodies, the fire that roiled inside, heating from within. It built further as each became more daring, their motions become rougher, faster and more intimate. Hands and mouths slid down to previously unexplored areas, rubbing or licking, testing and tasting. Just feeling ever inch of each other, until they could picture each other's perfect forms in their minds.

And still the fire built, reaching unbearable levels, until it was roiling beneath the surface, hot and heavy and unbearable, leaving each body beg for its eventual eruption of feeling.

It wasn't until Yuan had bitten down on Kratos shoulder, and slammed his body down, thighs about the other man's waist and let out a splitting screech into the flesh in his mouth that they realised what they were doing.

"Y...Yuan! Are..are..you..."

The half-elf whimpered in response, hands clenching into the flesh of Kratos' back.

Kratos hands were cupping the others backside instantly. "Pull off."

Yuan shook his head, blue hair flying, as he clung to Kratos.

"Yuan...you're hurt. Pull off."

A groan and another shake of his head, as Yuan purposefully clenched around his friend, sending his head whipping back as a deep moan escaped his throat.

"Y..Yuan...I don't," he panted heavily "want to...hurt you."

"You're not," Yuan whispered shakily into his ear. "I took it too fast, it was my fault, not yours. Just let me...get used to it. I'll be alright."

"Yuan..."

"Hush. You'll ruin the mood."

Kratos thought, considering Yuan's desperation to continue that pointing out that his current mood was one of distress, would probably be detrimental to the situation and so, biting his lip, he remained quiet. His hips longed to move, and he found it difficult not to fidget with such a feeling enclosed around his most sensitive organ, but Yuan groaned quietly every time he did, first in pain and then ever so gradually, it began to turn to pleasure, the pitch changing from a high whine of pain to a low groan of pleasure.

The stiff, deathly grip around him loosened, Yuan's arms releasing the now bruised flesh of his back, the muscles clenched around him elsewhere, loosening enough to accept him. Ever so subtly, they began to clench about him again, as Yuan's hips began to twitch with motion, subtly up and down until he had built into a steady pattern of rising and falling, until his head was tilting back, his mouth open with sweat beginning to run down his spine.

Kratos watched, transfixed at the sight, paralysed with feeling.

The heat inside his body and out was unbearable, but soothed by the cool beauty of Yuan's now writhing body. But it only took two words to break the dam that was holding back the torrent of fiery energy that had built up within him.

"Kratos..." a breath "_...move!"_

His hips shot into life instantly, pushing up into Yuan even as the half-elf sank down upon, bringing their bodies together so sharply, so sweetly. The bedclothes around them had long since fallen away and were pooled about their bodies like a sea of wine.

Heads tilted back, mouths open, muscles clenching and shuddering as bodies surged together in fluid motion, perfect unison as hands ran down slick skin or clenched at shoulders or waist.

It was a jumble of motions, of limbs and organs touching and entwining, of fluids leaking and voices crying out in the dim room.

But it was as Kratos grasped Yuan by the base of the neck, forcefully tilting his head down and sealing their mouths together that it all came to its sudden, satisfying end.

The dream shattered, reality flowed through them, slamming through them with the force of orgasm and with a final, single cry they fell back onto the sheets, exhausted but contented as mad heat faded back into gentle, comforting warmth.

--

Kratos woke blearily, slowly. His body felt heavy as if he had done a hard work out several times the day before. Rolling onto his side, and opening his eyes, he discovered why.

Yuan lay across the other side of the bed, blankets wrapped about his slender form as if trying to ensnare him and ensure that he would never leave the confines of the bed. The knowledge of what they had done the night before was at the forefront of Kratos' mind...what would Yuan's reaction be to it?

He had wanted it last night...but his condition may have potentially clouded his judgement. What if he was disgusted by Kratos when he woke?

He didn't think he would be able to take it if his one true friend were to abandon him...but he couldn't do anything about it for the moment. He could only wake until Yuan woke and see how he handled it.

Squinting, Kratos pushed himself up on his arms to look at the clock on the night stand on the other side of the bed. It was nearing noon and he groaned to himself. His parents would not be pleased by his tardiness...but then, they wouldn't be happy about this development either. He would have to get up immediately and ensure that they didn't wonder why he had not attended breakfast. It just meant he would have to lie through his teeth. But...they shouldn't suspect anything of that vein anyway. As far as they knew, his and Yuan's relationship was strictly platonic.

Until last night, he had thought that too.

Nodding with resolve to protect the truth he pulled the sheets off himself and stretched leisurely, eyes shutting. Eyes still closed he swung his legs over the side of the bed, and grinning, opened his eyes at the thought of a new day with Yuan at his side.

And then his mood and grin shattered instantly.

Standing above him, beside the bed, was none other than his father, a bag in one hand, his other pointing to the door where the rest of his family stood, staring down at their youngest member with disgust.

* * *

Not my best piece of work, but it's been niggling at me to write it for a while now. So I did. Let me know what you think.

Review please :)


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